1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to orthopedic prosthetic devices and more particularly to an improved orthopedic prosthesis (and a method of surgically implanting the prosthesis), wherein the prosthesis is in the form of a cup shaped body having in inner concave surface, an outer convex surface, and an annular rim that defines a plane, and wherein all or majority of the outer convex surface define a toroidal shape that can form an interference fit with a purely hemispherical socket that is surgically prepared, and wherein the amount of interference fit is proportional with cup diameter.
2. General Background
There are a number of commercially available acetabular prosthetic devices that include a cup shaped body. Some of these acetabular cups have correspondingly shaped inner and outer concave and convex surfaces. Some acetabular cup devices have outer surfaces with two differently shaped regions thereon including an annular rim or skirt that is thickened for forming an interference fit with the pelvis. Another acetabular cup (Patent DE 3341723C1) is in the form of a hemispherical socket body that is flattered at the crown region, to ensure lateral wedging of the socket in the pelvic bone.
Another patented cup design is seen in the Averill U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,127 entitled "Dual-Geometry Acetabular Cup Component and Method of Implant". The '127 patent provides a cup with a shell component having an outer surface that includes a frustro-conical surface portion and a spherical surface portion. As part of the method, the patient's acetabulum is prepared with an inner surface that includes a frustro-conical surface portion and a spherical surface portion, the spherical surface portions having essentially the same radius and the frustro-conical surface portions having relative dimensions such that upon nesting of the spherical surface portions in contiguous relationship, the frustro-conical portions engage one another in an interference fit to secure the shell component within the prepared acetabulum.
The Figgie U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,549 discloses an acetabular cup that has a shell component with an outer surface including a first spherical surface portion and a second spherical surface portion, and an acetabulum is prepared with an inner surface having a spherical configuration complimentary to the second spherical surface portion of the shell component. The radius of the first spherical surface portion is slightly greater than the radius of the second spherical surface portion such that upon nesting of the second spherical surface portion of the shell component in contiguous relationship with the inner surface of the acetabulum, the first spherical surface portion engages the inner surface of the acetabulum in an interference fit to secure the shell component within the prepared acetabulum. Some acetabular cup devices have projections extending from the outer surface of the cup-shaped body for engaging the surrounding pelvic bone tissue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,497 describes a socket for a hip joint prosthesis which is secured to a cavity in the bone tissue by a series of radially arranged pegs which can be projected outwardly from the wall of the socket into the surrounding tissue by a central screw which also has a self-tapping thread that enters the tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,923 discloses a hip joint socket made from a plastic material that can be installed without the use of bone cement or adhesive. The socket comprises a hemisphere of polyethylene.
The Forte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,282 discloses an acetabular cup assembly that includes a metal shell component and a plastic bearing insert capable of assembly intraoperatively, the metal shell component being secured in position within the acetabulum and then the plastic bearing insert being receivable within the shell component. The shell component has an outer surface that includes a generally spherically shaped portion and a generally frustro-conically shaped second surface portion. An annular shoulder forms a connection between the two different outer surfaces of the shell.
The Cremascoli U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,959 discloses a total hip prosthesis structure that includes an acetabular or socket component and a femoral or pin component, the two components being made of a metal or a metal alloy and being intimately connected to parts of ceramic material at least part of the surface of which is granular or porus so as to encourage osteogenesis after implantation. The metal part of the acetabular component is shaped in such a way as to simplify and facilitate its anchorage in a corresponding cavity of the ilium by having a sharp screw thread thereon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,337 an acetabular cup is provided which has a metallic shell. The cup is for cement-less fixation in the acetabulum.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,565 there is provided a component for a non-cemented hip prosthesis. The component has two parts, a titanium hemispherical shell and a cup of polymer which is engaged into it.
Another acetabular cup for cement-less fixation in the acetabulum is described in European Patent Application No. 13,863, published Jun. 8, 1980.
European Patent Application No. 169,978 published May 2, 1986, describes an acetabular cup which has an outer shell embedded into the patient's pelvis. The outer shell has a frustro-conical skirt and a spherical central cap.
In European Patent Application No. 211,169 published Feb. 25, 1987, an acetabular cup is described in which an external boss protrudes from the outer surface of the acetabulum body to fit into a pre-drilled hole in the acetabulum.
Other foreign patents and patent applications which describe acetabular cups include European Patent Application No. 212,087 published Apr. 3, 1987, wherein metallic pins project from the surface of the cup and contain holes in which tissue may grow. In European Patent No. 341,198 published Nov. 8, 1989, an acetabular cup has a metal outer shell and a plastic body for retaining the hip joint head.
A PCT publication WO 95/16413 discloses a hip cup for use as an acetabular component in a hip prosthesis. The prosthesis comprises a shell part having an at least partially convex outer surface. The shell part is insertable into a cavity having an inner surface that is substantially defined by the outer surface of a segment of this sphere. The outer surface of the shell part substantially corresponds to the outer surface of a part of an ellipsoid, the arrangement being such that during positioning the shell part contacts the longitudinal edge of the cavity at least by a circumferential edge, while a space is formed between the inner surface of the cavity and the apex of the shell part.
Two recent U.S. Patents have issued for acetabular cup components. The Averill U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,519 discloses an acetabular cup prosthetic device comprised of an outer shell component and an inner bearing insert and a method of implanting the acetabular cup prosthetic within a patient. The outer surface of the shell has a plurality of region in which conform to the curvature of at least one ellipsoid. The Evans U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,532 entitled "CEMENTLESS ACETABULAR CUP" provides a component that is press fit into a patient's acetabulum to create an interference fit and to eliminate the need for cement. A body portion of the cup provides an outer convex surface. The inside of the cup provides an inner concave surface. An apex portion of the cup or shell is spaced from the lower rim portion, the rim defining a plane. A plurality of annular rings are spaced along the body outer surface beginning at the lower rim and extending at least a partial distance toward the apex. Each of the annular rings is preferably generally parallel to the plane of the lower rim. Three recently issued European patents disclose other examples of acetabular prosthetic components. These include European patents specifications 0091315, 0285756, and 0327509.